As a crossroads state, Ohio is home to a significant amount of rail traffic. Thousands of trains operate on nearly 5,300 miles of track and 5,800 public crossings, making Ohio the fifth leading state in terms of goods transported by rail. Being a leader in railroad traffic brings an even greater responsibility to ensure safety at highway-rail grade crossings.

Since the 1980’s the PUCO has worked to improve safety at Ohio’s public highway-rail grade crossings through education and outreach, crossing inspections, local funding opportunities and the installation of safety improvements at crossings across the state. Over this period of time, the annual number of train-vehicle crashes has decreased from more than 300 two decades ago to 71 in 2012. Last year alone, a total of 543 federal, state and locally funded safety upgrades were ordered during the year including the installation of lights and gates, supplemental assistance upgrades, circuitry upgrades and closings.

The Ohio Grade Crossing Statistics Report 2012 is available online in the railroad section of www.PUCO.ohio.gov. The Ohio Railroad Information System Web site at http://gradecrossings.puco.ohio.gov contains a comprehensive database of highway-rail grade crossings in the state. Ohioans can also call the toll-free Ohio Rail Hotline, at (866) 814-RAIL (7245), to obtain answers to all their rail questions.

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The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) is the sole agency charged with regulating public utility service. The role of the PUCO is to assure all residential, business, and industrial consumers have access to adequate, safe and reliable utility services at fair prices while facilitating an environment that provides competitive choices. Consumers with utility-related questions or concerns can call the PUCO Call Center at (800) 686-PUCO (7826) and speak with a representative.